Cribbing.



No. 789,183. PATENT'ED MAY.9, 1905. J. STRUTHERS & F. H. BRBNTON.

GRIBBING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1904.

Nrrnn STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

JOHN STRUTHERS AND FRANK H. BRENTON, OF VEST PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CRIBBING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 789,183, dated May 9, 1905. Application filed July 16, 1904:. Serial No. 216,867-

T 0 (Liz whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN STRUTHERS and FRANK H. BRENTON, residents of West Pittston, in the county of liuzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cribbing; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improved cribbing, and more particularly to a cribbing especially adapted for use in digging graves and other deep excavating work, such as sewers, water and gas mains, and the like, the object of the invention being to provide improvements of this character which can be readily and quickly assembled as the excavation progresses to insure the formation of the grave or other excavation; and a further object is to provide an improved cribbing of simple inexpensive construction and one that is strong and durable in use.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating our improvements. Figs. 2 and 3 are views in vertical section at right angles to each other, and Figs. 41 and 5 are enlarged views of the joint.

Our improved cribbing comprises in the main a series of side planks 1 and crossstretchers 2. The side planks 1 each have secured to their inner faces vertical metal straps 3, the straps 3 of the upper planks having hooks 4 at their lower ends, the straps of the lowest planks having eyes 5 at their upper ends, and the straps 3 of the intermediate planks having hooks and eyes at their opposite ends permitting coupling of the straps and the suspension of the side planks from the upper planks, which latter have metal angle-brackets 6 secured to their ends to sup aort the cribbing upon cross-timbers or the ends of the excavation, as may be found desirable.

To the inner faces of all the side planks 1, adjacent to their ends, are secured dovetailed mortise-boxes 7 to receive dovetailed tenons 8 on the ends of stretchers 2, and said tenons are strengthened by metal plates 9, secured to the edges of the stretchers, and one of each pair of plates 9 is made with a tenon 10 larger than the wooden tenon at the end of the stretchers to limit the movement of said tenons through the boxes and hold the stretchers in proper position, and the boxes 7 are recessed to receive said enlarged tenons 10 and neatly inclose the same.

In operation the excavation is first measured off properly and dug any depth desir able, according to the soil. The upper set of side planks 1 and stretchers 2 are placed in position and suspended in the excavation from the brackets 6 and as many sets of side planks and stretchers suspended below the same as may be necessary, side planks and stretchers being added to the bottom of the excavation as the same progresses.

A great many slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described Without departing from ourinvention, and hence we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details set forth, but consider ourselves at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A cribbing comprising a series of frames or members and means for suspending said frames or members, one from another.

2. A cribbing comprising a series of knock down frames or members, and means for suspending said frames, one from another.

3. A cribbing comprising a series of frames or members, means for suspending said frames, one from another, and means for suspending said series of frames or members.

4. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks, and stretchers having tenons at their ends to fit in mortises in the side planks and means for suspending said members.

5. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks, dovetailed mortise-boxes secured to the side planks, and stretchers having dovetailed tenons at their ends to fit said ][boxes and means for suspending said memers.

6. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks, dovetailed mortise-boxes secured to the side planks at or near their ends, stretchers, dovetailed tenons at the ends of the stretchers to enter the boxes, and

means for limiting the movement of the tenons through the boxes and means for suspending said members.

7. A cribbing, comprising a pair of side planks, dovetailed mortise-boxes secured to the side planks, stretchers, dovetailed tenons on the ends of the stretchers to enter said boxes, metal plates reinforcing said tenons, and one of each pair of metal-plate tenons enlarged to enter a recess in thebox and limit the movement of the tenon.

8. A cribbing, comprising side planks and stretchers having dovetailed interlocking con- JOHN STRUTHERS. FRANK H. BRENTON.

Witnesses:

EUGENE SPENCER, THOS. H. SNELL. 

